Stocking-clasp



E. R. GILBERT. IOCKING CLASP. APPLICATION FILED 0CT.27, 1919.

1,365,823. 198mg Jan. 18,1921.

PATENT OFFICE.

EDWIN R. GILBERT, OF DETROIT, IMIGHIG'AN.

STOCKING-CLASP.

Application filed October 27, 1919.

T 0 all whom it may concern Be it known that I, EDWIN R. GILBERT,

a citizen of the United States, and resident of Detroit, in the county of Vayne and State of Michigan, have invented a certain new and-useful Improvement in Stocking Clasps, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description, reference beinghad to the accompanying drawing? forming a part of this specification.

y invention relates to stocking clasps and has for its general object the provision of simple devices of this nature which will function more satisfactoril and be of more lasting service than previous and present forms of supporters ofthis class have proven to be.

A salient feature of my invention resides in the provision of clasps of this nature which will support the hose at all points around the leg in contradistinction to prevailing types of supporters or garters which support the hose at but a single point.

A further object of my present invention consists in the provision of clasps of this nature which may be applied with facility and which, when applied, support the hose snugly and comfortably under circumferential tension.

Another object of my present invention resides in the provision of stocking clasps whereby the tension upon the stocking may be readily adjusted and which cannot, in any possible manner, injure the fabric of the stockings by reason of their peculiar application.

A still further object of my invention resides in the provisionof unitary structures of this class which are feasible as commercial products for production in large quantities.

The above and other further objects will more clearly appear in the following specification in which reference is made to the accompanying drawings wherein- Figure 1 is a perspective view of a stocking clasp made in accordance with my invention. 1

Fig. 2 is a view illustrating the method of forming a cuff on the ribbed portion of the stocking previous to applying the stocking, clasp of my invention.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 18, 1921.

Serial No. 333,709.

Fig. 3 is a similar view illustrating the clasp as it is disposed when first applied to the stocking.

Fig. 4 is another similar view illustrating the method of producing the circumferential tension as secured through the application of my improved stocking clasps.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken along the line 5-5 of Fig. 3 looking in the direction indicated by the arrows.

Fig. 6 is a similar view taken along the line 6-6 of Fig. 4; looking in the direction indicated by the arrows.

Fig. 7 is a perspective View illustrating a slightly modified form of stocking clasp embodying the improvements of my invention, and

Fig. 8 is a similar View showing a further modified form of the stocking clasp of my invention.

Throughout the following specification the same reference numerals will be used to refer to similar parts.

Referring to the drawings and for the present more particularly to Figs. 1 to 6,

inclusive, 10 indicates a stocking clasp of my invention which comprises the relatively long legs 11 and 12, the latter of which is actually a continuation of the former, it being bent over and upon the leg 11 at 13 to form with it a fork. Projecting laterally from the legll of the fork is an arm 14, carrying at its free end, the enlarged portion 15 which is suitably d.isksha.ped to provide a convenient finger piece, the purpose for which will later appear. The enlarged portion is preferably, though not essentially, offset downwardly from the free end of the arm 14 as shown. The opposing faces of the fork and one face of the enlarged portion 15 are suitably knurled as shown to provide a frictional surface to enga e the stocking fabric. The knurling on t e enlarged portion serves moreover as a gripping surface for the finger.

Throughout this specification the words inner and outer are purely relative terms, meaning respectively nearer the leg and away from the leg.

In the reduction of my invention to practice, I have found it most convenient to use the clasp shown in Fig. 1 on the stocking of the right leg. While I have not illustrated a similar clasp for the left leg, it will be clear that such a clasp is but merely a counterpart of that shown: that is, the arm 14 of such a clasp would project laterally from the leg 11 in the opposite direction to that in which it is shown projecting in Fig. 1.

From the description thus far given, it will be seen that I have provided a stocking clasp which may be punched out sheet metal and can, therefore, be made very cheaply. While I prefer to use aluminum in the manufacture of my clasp, it will appear that other suitable materials may well be used with a view to reducing the cost of manufacture.

In Fig. 2 is illustrated the stocking 16, on the upper or ribbed portion of which is formed a cuff 17, which should lie just above the calf of the leg and be of a width slightly greater than the length of the fork of the clasp. There should be about two or three folds of the fabric if the best results are to be secured.

The clasp may then be applied in the following manner:

The fork of the clasp is adapted to em brace the end 17 of the stocking, the clasp being applied, for example, on the stocking of the right leg on the inner side of the leg. I describe the application of my clasp to the stocking of the right leg in this description because the clasp intended for the stocking of right leg is illustrated in the drawings and its application will, therefore, be better evident. The clasp is so arranged that the arm 14 projects toward the front with the smooth side away from the leg as shown in Figs. 3 and 5. hen the arm is grasped at the fingerpiece 15 and turned through an arc of substantially 180 in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 5 with the fork portion acting as a pivot. The cuff is then brought over the enlarged portion or fingerpiece 15 substantially as shown in Figs. 4 and 6. It will be noted that the smooth side of the enlarged portion 15 is then to ward the leg but as is best shown in Fig. 6 does not and cannot touchthe skin because of its tendency to clockwise movement with the fork as a pivot, the circumferential tension of the stocking, quite a portion of which has now been gathered in as shown, tending to cause the clasp to assume again the position shown in Fig. 5. The stocking is held frictionally through the knurled fork and fingerpiece and cannot therefore be torn as itis not held positively. The fork portion 1s entirely enmeshed by the stocking fabric so that no metal is exposed to the skin.

At this point it will appear that the circumferential tension upon the stocking leg be of su'liicient length for the most adrantageous application of my invention, but the many advantages of the arrangement just described outweigh any slight iuconvenionce that l. ight he experienced through wearing a stocking of a slightly greater length than the average sock.

In 7 is illustrated a slightly modified form of stocking clasp 10, the fork of which is provided in the bifurcated portion 18 which comprises the legs 11 and IQ. lroiecting laterally frointhe l'iifureat'ed por tion 18 is the arm ll" carrying at its free end, the enlargement or fingerpiece 15". Suitable knurling, if desired, may be provided on the opposite faces of the fork por- 1 tion as well as on one side of the finger piece 15. It will be seen that all the parts in this clasp lie in the same plane and can be struck from sheet metal in one operation, thus considerably reducing the cost of production. This clasp is likewise preferably made of aluminum for lightness although other suitable materials might be used to lower the cost of manufacture. The application of this clasp will, it is believed, be apparent from the description given of the clasp shown in Fig. 1.

In Fig. 8 is shown a further modified form of stocking clasp 10*, embodying the improvements of my invention. This clasp, it will be seen, is made of a single piece of wire 19 which is suitably bent into a closed rcctangle to form a fingori'iicce 15", the arm 14-" being a continuation of one side of said rectangle. The wire is then bent downwardly and upwardly to form a leg 19." and is brought over the arm 14 and again downwardly and upwardly to form another leg 11", the end of the wire then being bent upon itself as shown to embrace the inner end of the arm 14*. The legs 11 and 12*, it will be seen also form a fork and the application of this form of stocking clasp will, no doubt, be apparent from a consideration of the description given for the preferred form.

While I have shown but a few embodiments of my invention, it will be understood that it is not limited to the arrangements shown but is capable of modifications of these arrangements within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. An article of manufacture of the class described, comprising a substantially T- .1 ill sha ed punching, one horizontal arm of sai T being folded over onto the other arm to form a fork and the lower end of the vertical arm being enlarged in area to provide a fingerpiece.

2. A stocking clasp comprising a fork, an arm integral with one leg of said fork and a fingerpiece on said arm, one face of said fingerpiece and opposing faces of said fork being knurled.

3. A stocking clasp comprising a fork for embracing the neck of a stocklng, an arm extending laterally from said fork and a finger piece projecting downwardly from the free end of said arm a distance shorter than the length of said fork, said finger piece being adapted to hold the end of said arm to the neck of the stocking to retain the fork in its adjusted position.

4. A stocking clasp comprising a fork and an arm on said fork, the free end of said arm being offset downwardly a distance shorter than the length of said fork.

5. A stocking clasp comprising a fork and a lateral arm on said fork, the free end of said arm being offset downwardly and enlarged to provide a finger piece, opposing faces of said fork and. one face of said finger piece being knurled to frictionally hold the neck of a stocking under circumferential tension.

In Witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 23 day of October, 1919.

EDWIN R. GILBERT.

lVitnesses H. G. ANDERSON, GEO. J. HORN. 

